usually falling if it's upper class 2 exposure and aboveactually still falling if it's lower class 2 (it only takes a few feet on a bolder to do some damage - an ankle twist can be a terrible day, a head injury much more)

elk crossing on your way to the trail headwe had foolishly camped near the Wetterhorn trail head on July 4th. Took Engineer Pass then decided to see the awesome 45 minute fireworks display at Silvertonthe route back either involved a harrowing trip back over the pass in the dark or going the Ouray/Ridgeway/Montrose/Lake City pavement route to our campsite

we opted for safety to avoid the jeep trails in the dark

we were 10 miles from Lake City and an elk jumped in front of the jeep. We were going 40 mph and the elk came straight across in front of us, turned forward at 90 degrees right in front of the driver side and we missed his hind end by 6 inches.That would have been a fatal incident - possibly for all involved

This. Love visiting Colorado and go as often as I can, but this causes me to lose massive amounts of sleep every time I zip that tent closed. Despite using a bear can every time I go, everywhere I go, cook and eat well away (few hundred feet at least) from camp and stash the can at a similar distance, keeping only basics at camp (tent/bag/clothes/water) I still end up laying in the tent expecting imminent carnage. I always seem to have some sort of encounter every time I visit. Was up at Crystal Lake/Crystal Peak this week with my oldest daughter and was awakened by a mountain lion investigating inside our vestibule overnight. The tracks (two sets) I found the next morning were not small, either.

Besides the dangerous wildlife, my biggest fears are falling and the resulting injury/death, especially when it comes to my hiking partner, aka daughter. You know, the stuff that keeps dads awake at night.